Another One?

For today's tale I will start with some background information: my sister is expecting her third child any day now. This pregnancy has found her in Nova Scotia and my girls and I have been able to observe Andrea's growing belly and with permission, even touch her belly. Sunday, Mackenzie was on the couch with Andrea quite interested in where the baby was in her belly and pushing her little hand into Andrea's belly along side of Andrea's (and sometimes my) hand. This morning, as kids do, out of the blue, Mackenzie announces with certainly, "Mommy you're going to have a baby. And you and Daddy will go to the hospital and come home with a baby. And it'll be so..... cute. And I will have a little brother or little sister. I can't wait." My heart ached for her as I too once wanted a little brother or sister and I once thought I would have three children of my own. I only told her, "I don't think Mommy will be having any more babies." I didn't tell her, of course, about finances of raising children, birth control methods, or possible complications related to my recently found abnormal cells (further tests will tell). She doesn't need to know those aspects of life just yet. I wonder how she will be with her new cousin when he or she arrives.

Finally, of Age

Every year I try to get formal photos taken to give the relatives an updated photo of the girls in their Christmas card. Every year it is a challenge to get them to both sit together and to look at the camera while not making an inappropriate facial gesture. This year, by golly, it worked. The girls were co-operative and smiled. Though I have no idea why Mackenzie wanted to pose with her duck toy rather than the deer Webkinz she drags around everywhere. He was in the car so it's not like she accidentally left him behind. Another thought, why is it that per pose, photos are cheaper to buy at Superstore than through the school, we have a half an hour for photos to be taken, we get to select from a variety of poses and suggest poses to be taken, and the pictures are ready the next day? I'm still waiting for Taylor's $16 school photos, one pose, one sheet of pictures.

Is It In the Genes?

When Taylor was little, just able to walk, she would find misplaced items in the store and insist on organizing them. She would put all the pink gum together if a stray one was in the green and so on. She also used to line things up at home: spoons in a line, rubber ducks in a line, broach pins in a line, and so on. Today she disappeared while I was warming supper and I naturally started to wonder what she was up to. Surprisingly she was cleaning and organizing her room. I had to give her a hug and tell her that was very responsible of her. Her clean clothes have been stacked by her dresser for days and were still waiting to be put away. However, her empty bunk bed, floor, and desk were cleared. She had this comment, "I still have a lot to do and it's a lot of work." - I used to spontaneously clean and organize my bedroom too. Odd, aren't we. No, don't answer that. :)

Mommy!

The clock radio went off waking me from a deep sleep and a bad dream. I wasn't happy to get up again. I needed more sleep; as usual. I sat up and began my "old person stretches" or I'd be walking on my toes. I had barely started when I heard Taylor begin screaming, "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" I was glad to be awake already rather than be woken up by her hollering yet again. She doesn't always wake up happy whether it is the fact that someone turned off her light before daylight, or her radio came on too loud or on a French station or some other offensive occurance. I went and checked on her. Peering into her room, I saw Taylor's red, tear-streaked face looking over the end of her upper loft bed. "Mommy," she sobbed, "I didn't get to cuddle with you." sniff. "I kept looking at the clock and it said five but it never said six." I had told her she could come in and snuggle with me after six am. Many mornings she is awake before her or my alarm clock radio and has a chance to come in and snuggle. This morning she never had the chance and for some unknown reason, it was an upsetting occurance. I told her that she'd have to snuggle with me another time, after school, in the evening reading a book (she always wants my arm around her as we read), or another morning. "Alright," she said as she resigned and recomposed herself.

Mommy, I Don't Want to Get Bigger

In this mornings breakfast rush to eat and get to school on time, Mackenzie sat in her sparkly purple dress at the dinning room table, starring at the television with her big blue eyes, and announced, "Mommy, I don't want to get bigger. I don't want to get married. I want to stay with you." ah.... I remember having a similar conversation with my mother when I was about four years old. Mom told me then that I would want to leave someday. What I told Mackenzie was more selfish, "But I need you to grow up and take care of me when I'm older and pee my pants." Taylor piped up and said, "You'll have to move in with us." I told her she could put me in an old people's home. :) One needs to cherish these little moments in the fast pace of life. They are far too few and often too soon forgotten.